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Received today β€” 13 December 2025

Has Simon Cowell lost his mojo? Seven things you need to know about the music mogul’s new direction

13 December 2025 at 00:00

The former X Factor judge is back, auditioning boyband wannabes for his latest talent show – but gen Z doesn’t seem to care very much, or even know who he is

Have we gone back in time to 2010? If only! No, Simon Cowell is just back in the headlines, reasserting his svengali status for his new Netflix show. Reviews suggest that Cowell’s attempted comeback, 15 years since his celebrity peak, highlights less his particular star power than how totally the world has moved on. But is there anything to learn from SyCo now, and will his new boyband work? Let’s see!

1. Cowell is chasing a new direction

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Β© Composite: Guardian Design; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Β© Composite: Guardian Design; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Β© Composite: Guardian Design; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Received before yesterday

Feeling lonely? Six ways to connect with friends – even when busy

26 November 2025 at 12:00

If you aren’t getting the quality time or intimacy you need, try these connection experiments to shake up interactions

Lately, life has felt like Groundhog Day: work, gym, sleep, repeat. Between a punishing work schedule, the grim weather and my desire to hibernate, my social life has suffered. I feel dissatisfied, restless and isolated. But I have plenty of friends and active group chats – I can’t be lonely, surely?

Wrong!

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Β© Illustration: Rita Liu/The Guardian

Β© Illustration: Rita Liu/The Guardian

Β© Illustration: Rita Liu/The Guardian

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